The Seller of Dreams
by Velvet Footsteps
Summary: (AU KK) Lighthearted at a glance, this story delves into the depths of a girl’s heart. When a girl’s greatest wish is for that fairy tale ending and she’s sprinkled with fairy dust, will it come true?
1. Chapter 1: A Bedtime Story

Author's Note:  Well, I was really supposed to be concentrating on midterms, but what's a girl supposed to do when she is spontaneously inspired to write?  Wait for it to go away?  There was no possible way for me to keep ignoring this storyline and continue focusing on my studies, so I had to write this out or at least parts of it before peacefully staring at millions of facts on biology.  So, do you think my time spent on this was worth it?  ^_^ I'm actually quite happy with the way this turned out so if you are not, please do not say anything that will disturb my state of mind.  I'm already nervous enough about exams.

Also, this will be my small break from writing "For Honor," which really _is_ challenging for me to write.

Summary:  Lighthearted at a glance, this story delves into the depths of a girl's heart.  When a girl's greatest wish is for that fairy tale ending and she's sprinkled with fairy dust, will it come true?

Disclaimer: *laughs nervously* I almost forgot to write one!  Rurouni Kenshin is not mine at the moment… maybe one day when I no longer need to write fan fics?

The Seller of Dreams

Chapter 1:  A Bedtime Story

By CrismHeart

January 31, 2004

I looked over at the two hyperactive young girls and began contemplating how to persuade them to sleep.  I had been forced by my dear neighbor to watch his granddaughters.  After having been subjected to five hours of entertaining a six-year old and her four-year old sister, I was tired.  It wasn't difficult to amuse them, but that was the reason why I was having such a dilemma in the first place.  They just wouldn't stop bouncing around!  "Perhaps I shouldn't have allowed them to have all that soda.  Why would someone be dumb enough to invent such a drink, knowing that it would appeal to children?  Sugar and caffeine should definitely be on the list of what _not_ to give them." I mused.

It was ten o'clock, at least two hours past their bedtimes.  Gensai-sensei was sure to be home by eleven, but I couldn't just ruin their spirits.  I have always loved children and I knew that telling them that they were not allowed to stay up would injure their pride, even more so because I had told them how much more grown-up they were since the last time I had seen them.

"Kaoru-neesan!  Kaoru-oneesan!  Can you play with us?" Ayame and Suzume asked in unison.

I sighed.  It was so difficult to say "no" to the adorable little girls, "Ano, Ayame-chan, Suzume-chan, I think that you will have to go to sleep.  Maybe we can play some other time."

"Demo Kaoru-neesan!  You're our favorite babysitter!"

"Yeah, our favorite!" chimed Suzume.

Observing the identical puppy-dog expressions on their faces, I almost relented.  Bottom lips trembled and tears welled up in their eyes threatening to spill in the event of a refusal.  "Mou, Kaoru, don't let them do this to you!" I scolded myself, "Ever since when did you become such a pushover?  …And when had the two of them learned to become so manipulative?  No wonder Gensai-sensei wanted me to baby sit.  He always did end up spoiling his granddaughters."

"Okay, okay, how about I tell you a story?" I asked Ayame and Suzume, hoping that they would agree.

"A story?" Their eyes lit up and the melancholy features on their faces instantly vanished.  Sometimes I think that the innocence had just been a pretense to cover up their mischievous schemes.

"Hai!" I smiled cheerfully.  It was such a relief that they had approved of my suggestion, "Demo, we have to first get you two into bed."

Ayame and Suzume nodded.  In mere seconds they had scampered off to the bedroom they shared and jumped underneath their covers.

"Chotto matte!  Did you girls brush your teeth yet?" I asked.

Reluctantly, Ayame and Suzume both shook their heads.  "Do we _have_ to?"  Suzume complained as a pout formed on her face.

"Hai, Gensai-sensei wouldn't be very happy to hear that you didn't."

After ushering them into the bathroom across the hall, I waited for them to finish up.  The change of events had taken a load off of my mind.  Now all I had to do was come up with a story to tell Ayame and Suzume and if they fell asleep early enough, I would be able to do the last of my homework!  The devious teachers must have planned it out that way.  Why must there be so much work to do during my last and final year of high school?

A couple minutes later, Ayame and Suzume marched into the hallway.  "Done!" Suzume announced happily.  I led them back to their bedroom and I tucked them into each of their beds.  "What kind of story would you girls like to hear?" I inquired.

"A fairy tale!" Ayame exclaimed.

"Yeah, but not one of the ones that we've already heard." Suzume stated.

"Hmm… then have you ever heard the legend of _The Seller of Dreams_?"

"Can you tell it to us?" Ayame requested excitedly.

I pursed my lips in thought before deciding to tell them the tale I wished were the life I was living, "Once upon a time, there was a girl seventeen years of age and in her last year of high school.  Her name was Kaoru…"

"Kaoru-neechan, she had the same name as you?" Suzume interrupted.

"Hai." I responded.

"_Suzume_, let Kaoru-neechan tell the story." Ayame scolded her younger sibling.

"Oh, gomen nasai, Kaoru-neechan." Suzume apologized.

I smiled at them before continuing…

_My greatest wish has always been for someone to love me as I am. I've been waiting for that one special person since forever, to fall in love, to live happily ever after. You know who I'm wishing for, the knight in shining armor, the prince on a gallant white horse.  I want it all. I know I sound like a little girl with my silly notions, but I just want to know what it's like to be in love... I may be a foolish dreamer, but what I wish for most is that fairy tale ending that I'll never have..._

The discussion in her Literature class caused Kaoru to daydream.  Her thoughts usually did drift as the monotonous voice of the teacher droned on.  Anji-sensei had mentioned a project of some sort.  The students were to write about themselves- their fears, their sorrows, their own dreams and ambitions for the future- little facts that weren't widely known.  This assignment was actually interesting for a change.  Still, Kaoru had no idea what she wanted to do in the future, so she thought to her fears.

Outwardly, everyone knew her as a tomboy, but inside, Kaoru knew that there was more to her than that.  "If only others knew who I really am…" Kaoru thought to herself, "They'd probably end up laughing even more."  An image of her friends ran through her mind.  Even if they were close, they never failed to tease her about being a "tanuki."

It was true that she enjoyed kendo when not many girls liked martial arts.  She also had other traits that differed from the stereotypical girl.  Kaoru wasn't especially talented in the culinary department, and she sometimes was prone to becoming violent when she was upset, but without her faults, she knew that she would not be herself.  She knew she would never change for someone else; they would just have to accept her, the good with the bad.  There was one thing that Kaoru dreaded above all else and no one knew of, the fear of losing childhood.  Losing childhood would mean having to face reality.  Kaoru remembered how she secretly pretended to be the heroine in fairy tales that would always end in living happily ever after.  Time had not changed her dreams.  _Why couldn't her life be a fairy tale?_

_RING!_

The bell to end class suddenly rang and Kaoru, startled by the sound, jumped in her seat.  The students were dismissed from school at last.

Hurriedly grabbing her books, Kaoru tried to beat the mob of students that were pushing their way out of the classroom.

"Kaoru-chan!"

Upon hearing her best friend call her name, Kaoru waited so that she could catch up. "Misao-chan, what's up?" she greeted her friend.

"Have you seen the new shop that opened?  It looks really mysterious.  We should go check it out!"

"Iie, I haven't, demo, it sounds cool!"

"Yeah, let's go!" Misao pulled at her friend's backpack.  It was surprising how she could have the smallest stature of all the girls in their grade and still be capable of dragging her friend for four blocks without becoming exhausted.  On the contrary, Kaoru was the one who had to pause for breath when Misao finally came to a complete stop.

The store really did have a strange aura surrounding it, almost as if there were something supernatural at work.  The building itself was quaint and charming, but it was the long slanted letters on the wooden sign beside it that caught their attention.  It proclaimed the place as _The Seller of Dreams_.

"Misao-chan, I don't know if we should go in," Kaoru said, "I have a weird feeling about this."

When her companion did not respond, she turned to where Misao was supposed to have been, on her right. "Mi-Misao?"  No one was standing there so she assumed that Misao had already gone into the store.

"Mou!  Kaoru, you've been watching way too many horror movies." She mumbled to herself as she entered the shop in search of her friend.

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Author's Note:  Um… how was it? *winces*  I hope it wasn't too boring.  It will eventually be romance and humor.  lol, if you found this lame, it's kind of me writing through Kaoru, so you're basically insulting me.  Actually, I was kind of bored too, one of reasons why this might not have been edited too well.  ^_^ Anyway, I've wasted so much time writing that I'm going to be studying now!  Please review!  I would really love it if you do, and even more so if you're not here to offend me!  And if no one enjoys reading this story, I will still finish the fic, but not on this site.  Click that button down there so I know. ^_~


	2. Chapter 2: A Sprinkle of Fairy Dust

Author's Note:  I'm really sorry that I hadn't gotten around to writing much, but school was becoming very nerve-racking.  We had to decide on classes for next year. *sighs*  I really hope I'm not overdoing it if I take four AP courses then.  Oh, actual things to keep in mind for the chapter: there may or may not contain OOC-ness depending on who is reading.  Well, I had lots of fun!  ^_^

Disclaimer:  Don't worry, I'm not *…* delusional.  I am aware that I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, but guess what?  I am now the proud owner of fairy dust (in a way)!

The Seller of Dreams

Chapter 2: Just a Sprinkle of Fairy Dust

By CrismHeart

February 16, 2004

Kaoru was not sure what she thought the interior of the shop would look like, but it definitely was not what she had expected.  The place could not exactly be described as well lit, but there was enough light let in so that customers could clearly see the products that were for sale.  It was quite spacious, or would have been so if there weren't millions of items piled on top of each other.  For a second, Kaoru began panicking.  Every corner was teeming with fascinating objects.  Knowing how easily amused Misao could be, Kaoru was afraid that she would never find her friend.  In the midst of her unease, Kaoru became distracted by a sudden squeal coming from the opposite side of the store.

"Kaoru-chan, you've finally gotten here! Look at this!"

Kaoru rushed over to the familiar voice and was glad to see that it had belonged to Misao. "Thank Kami-sama that Misao has a voice that carries!" she muttered.

"What do you mean by _finally_?" Kaoru glared, "You abandoned me before!"

It was then when Misao realized that Kaoru was not in the best of moods.  "I uh… I thought you had come in with me, demo when I decided to show you the awesome sign, I realized that you hadn't." Misao said with a nervous smile.  Inwardly, she prayed that Kaoru's volatile emotions would settle.  The wrath of Kamiya Kaoru could be a scary to face, indeed.

Kaoru sighed and decided to let the matter go. "So, what was it that made you so excited before?"

Misao stared back at Kaoru in disbelief, "You mean you don't see what I see?"

Kaoru raised an eyebrow at her friend before reading the poster that was directly in front of them:

**Ever wondered if dreams really could come true?  Well, your question has been answered.  With just a sprinkle of fairy dust, you can have whatever your heart desires.  The possibilities are endless!  Because fairy dust is only found at _The Seller of Dreams_ and customers may be skeptic, we are offering free trials to the first seven people to ask about it.**

The offer was too good to be true!  Already, Kaoru could see that Misao was replaying certain fantasies in her mind revolving around her Aoshi-sama.  The huge stars in her friend's eyes made it all too obvious. "Aoshi-sama…"

Kaoru had doubted the validity of the advertisement, but at the same time, she was drawn to the message on it.  "Mou, those evil salespeople, they always know just what to say to make you purchase their product!" She thought to herself.  Although Kaoru wished she could say that she was above falling for false words, the other side of her did in fact, want the free trial of fairy dust.  Who would really give up a chance like that?

Kaoru shifted her gaze to Misao, who was still busily daydreaming about the object of her infatuation. "Ano… Misao-chan?" Kaoru wasn't quite sure what to do to make Misao return to her senses.  Actually, she wasn't sure of whether she should disturb her friend either.  The last time Kaoru had done so, Misao had been extremely angry, a glaring contrast from her otherwise jovial nature.

"Misao-chan?"  Kaoru repeated as she poked her friend timidly with an index finger.

After receiving no response, her temper began to flare up again, but Kaoru decided that it would be rather immature of her to act on her emotions.  A malicious smile formed on her face as she remember that the store was only offering free fairy dust to the first seven people to ask about it.

Instantly, Kaoru had teleported to the front of the shop and was standing in front of the counter.  "Sumimasen, I read that the first seven people to ask about the offer on the advertisement in the back-"

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"Kaoru-neechan, is there going to be a fairy godmother?" Ayame wanted to know.

"Yeah, a fairy godmother!" Suzume cried.

"Of course, Ayame-chan, Suzume-chan." I replied in compliance.  Besides, the entire point of the story was to please the girls.  "Now, how to incorporate such a character into my fairy tale?" I wondered.

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 The man at the register had his back to Kaoru, but she could see that he was tall and well built, with a white, flowing cape that concealed his broad shoulders.

For reasons unknown to Kaoru at the time, the clerk was oddly familiar.  It was when he turned around when she realized why.

"H-Hiko-sensei?" Kaoru froze in her place and grew palid.  What was her high school principal doing at working at _The Seller of Dreams_?  It was as if Kami-sama had wished to chastise her once again for taking advantage of Misao's... vulnerable condition.  Kaoru could already imagine what her teachers really had conversations about in the teachers' lounge.

Hiko surveyed his newest customer before a grin spread across his face, "Kamiya-san, what are you doing here?"  He would never admit it, but he did respect her and considered her one of the most admirable students in the school.  Although most educators wanted students who were perfectly obedient, Hiko encouraged those with the audacity to speak their minds.

"I-I…" Kaoru stuttered before regaining her composure, "Ano… Hiko-sensei, I think that I should be asking you that question."

Hiko chuckled, "Isn't it obvious?  I work here."

Kaoru flushed with embarrassment.  "Of course he works here, but why?" she thought to herself.

Hiko's humor eventually subsided.  He could see the unvoiced question that existed in Kaoru's eyes.

"Kamiya-san, to tell you the truth, I needed a job to pay for my…" he paused and lowered his voice to a whisper, "sake."

Kaoru shook her head in disapproval.  She hadn't really anticipated her roguish principal to have an actual reason for working.  It was a known fact that he enjoyed his alcohol.  However, it was his assertiveness and steadfastness to discipline that made him the fit to be head of the high school.  Kaoru shrugged.  At least he had had the decency to give her an informative response.  Perhaps it was a little too much information.   Kaoru did not quite want to know what Hiko did during his free time.

"Hiko-sensei… why are you being so secretive all of a sudden?" Kaoru eyed him suspiciously.

Hiko became very tense as he scanned the room. "Well, you see… my wife isn't especially _fond_ of me drinking, so do me a favor and don't tell her about this job, Kamiya-san?" he requested nervously.

Kaoru's principal was just full of surprises that day, wasn't he?  She was again astonished.  At first it was due to his uncharacteristic behavior… before she fully comprehended his declaration.

"_You have a wife?!"_ Kaoru shrieked.  This recent discovery was almost too much for her to handle.

Hiko gave Kaoru a warning look telling her not to mention his wife in the future.  It was without a doubt, a very sensitive subject for him.

"Eh, gomen nasai, Hiko-sensei." Kaoru bowed in apology.

Hiko waved his hand in a gesture to show that all was forgotten, "So, about the fairy dust, do you still want it?"

"Hai!" Kaoru answered gleefully.

Hiko smirked, "What are you planning to do with it now?"

Kaoru frowned at her presumptuous principal, "That's for me to know."

"Fair enough." Hiko presented Kaoru with a small piece of paper and a brown pouch.

"What's this?"

"Just keep it.  It's a receipt.  Maybe it'll come in handy in the future." Hiko sounded serious enough, so Kaoru accepted it willingly.  There wasn't anything written on it except the number seven.  It was probably there just to show that she was the last one to receive the special offer.  What Kaoru had failed to notice at that time was that on the back of the receipt that Hiko had handed her was: _Be careful what you wish for_.  As she tucked both the bag and the paper into her pocket, Kaoru started feeling guilty for not telling Misao about the fairy dust.

Kaoru conciliated herself, as her best friend would find out soon enough.

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Author's Note:  Wow! *stars in eyes*  I'm loving all the encouragement I've been receiving from reviewers! ^_~ People are just so eager to help out!  Please review!  I would like some input on possible scenarios!  Um, I hope you liked it!  I know it was… strange, but I couldn't help experimenting with ideas! (hehe, you know, Hiko with a wife?)  Also, before you say that Kaoru wouldn't tell Ayame and Suzume about Hiko and his love of sake, the story is happening in her mind as she tells it, so she probably does not mention all of the details.__

**Naiya-chan:**  Thank you so much for being my first reviewer!  Do you have any ideas for a summary? lol, I can't think of one since I wasn't aware that my summary was hard to understand. 

**Evil Chibi Kitten:**  Hmm… I'm really aiming for a certain genre and although I'm hoping for this to become slightly more humorous, I've been a bit out of touch in writing comedies. *sighs*

**Kakiyaku Mai:**  Thanks!  I think I did read one of the books in the series.  Perhaps it was that one?  If so, it was- *counts fingers* -six years ago.  Well, even if you read because of the title, I hope you weren't disappointed to find that it has no real connection to the book…  Oh yes, and I will be continuing my other story!   I just have some writer's block at the moment… do you read "For Honor?"

**MZ. AMbER EYES:**  Thanks!  I am really glad to see that you reviewed this story!  I know it doesn't seem like it can even remotely be funny, but I'm going for ironic humor.  (hehe, shouldn't be too difficult since I can be rather sarcastic!)

**lilk0k0:**  Thank you!  I hope to hear from you!

**TanukiGirl22:** *ponders* You just had to ask a complicated question, didn't you?  I'm not sure how to answer that, but yes, it is a reflection of me.  When are my stories not? lol

**wackoramaco87:**  Thank you!  I can only hope I did okay, lol.  I'm attempting to keep my mind off of grades by writing!

**moderndaybattosai:  **Thanks!  I'm so happy that you enjoyed!  Of course, I'll continue! ^_^

**CEEGEE:**  Thank you!

**Kitsune_KeNsHiN:**  Yay!  I'm pleased to see that you checked out this story! ^_^ I never _really_ leave a fic unfinished, hehe, but for some reason this story is a lot simpler to write.

***hakura*:**  Thank you very much!  I hope you're as confident as you sound about how my story will turn out! 

**lightning_storm:**  Yup, yup!  Since I made such an effort to review all your chapters, do you think you could update? *smiles innocently*  As for the story, I'm curious to see what happens as well!


	3. Chapter 3: Dreams Do Come True

Author's Note:  Yay!  We shall be meeting some more characters soon!  First, I'd like to say that I may be overdoing my writing style.  It's beginning to scare me.  Also, I've discovered that there are time when I can write well and times when I can write humor, but I can't do both at the same time. *sobs*

Disclaimer:  Rurouni Kenshin does not belong to me. *pouts*  However, I will take credit for any chaos that may ensue in my story.

The Seller of Dreams

Chapter 3: Dreams Do Come True

By CrismHeart

February 22, 2004

On the way home from the shop, Misao chattered away happily about what she thought her precious Aoshi-sama was doing at the moment.  Kaoru had not yet confessed about her misdeed.

"Maybe he's meditating…" pondered Misao.  She gave a sigh of contentment as she pictured Aoshi's calm, serene face, and the beautiful dark locks that gently fell over his closed eyes.

"Maybe Aoshi's practicing for the kendo tournament?" Kaoru suggested.

Misao's cheeks became a shade of pink that Kaoru was sure had not been discovered until then.

"…Misao-chan?" Kaoru queried.  She waved a hand in front of her face in hopes of getting a healthy response, "What exactly is going on in that mind of yours?"

"Eh?" Misao blinked, noticing that her friend was beside her for the first time.

"Oh, never mind Misao.  I'd rather not know about your 'Aoshi-sama fantasies.'"

"Oi!  Who said that all of them were dirty?" Misao complained, "…demo, you do have to admit that Aoshi has a nice body.  Anyway, I'm upset that there's no fairy dust left!  Since there weren't many people in _The Seller of Dreams_, I could have sworn that I would have been one of the seven customers to ask for it."

Guilt-ridden, Kaoru looked away from her distraught friend.  Unfortunately for her, Misao discerned that Kaoru was hiding something from her.

"Wait a second…" Misao eyed Kaoru suspiciously, "Why was that egotistical principal of ours winking at you?"

Kaoru could not take it any longer.  Why did she have to be born with such an irritating conscience?  "Misao-chan, gomen ne!  I'm so sorry!  Will you forgive me for not telling you sooner?" she apologized profusely.

"You mean that it's true?" Misao's jaw dropped, "You've been having an affair with Hiko-sensei?  I knew he had a reputation as a womanizer, but I never thought that he would stoop so low!  His own students?!  And _you_, I thought you were better than that!" Misao pointed a finger at Kaoru accusingly.

"Nani?!" Kaoru shrieked.  How in the world had Misao come to _that_ conclusion?  It was an incredibly disturbing thought.  "Mou!  Misao, I can't believe you'd even say that about me.  Eww! This is Hiko-sensei we're talking about!  Besides, he has a wife.  I was saying that I was sorry because I was the last person to ask about the fairy dust while you were busy daydreaming."

"Hiko-sensei has a wife?!" Misao yelled, voicing the previous trauma Kaoru had experienced when she had found out.  Then, struck by the absurdity of Hiko's marital status, she burst out laughing.

Kaoru stared at her companion in disbelief.  Thank Kami-sama for not introducing her to anyone else who could make her go through so many mood changes.  If she knew others, she would be clinically insane.  "Ano, Misao, that wasn't my point.  Do you realize why I apologized?"

"Oh, yeah.  Why didn't you just say so in the first place?" Misao questioned.

"You're not _mad_ at me?" Kaoru asked.

"Not really.  I did want the fairy dust, demo you deserve it more." Misao replied, "I can deal with Aoshi-sama on my own.  You, on the other hand, need to find someone, so use that dust to get that Prince Charming of yours!"

Kaoru was perplexed, "How did you know that…?"

"Know what?  Kaoru-chan, it's what every little girl dreams of.  Even if we're not kids anymore, we can still hold onto our dreams, right?  So, Aoshi-sama's mine, and we still have to find you yours."

"Misao, I never knew you could be so profound." Kaoru laughed, but inwardly she was still distressed.  What if there really isn't a fairy tale character for everyone?

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The two of them walked to Kaoru's house.

"Tadaima!" Kaoru exclaimed as she walked through the gates of her house and entered the front door.

"Okaeri nasai, Kaoru-chan!" her mother called back.  She was in the kitchen  "Misao-chan, do you want to stay over for dinner?"

"Sure!" came Misao's delighted answer.

"Wonderful, I think that dinner will be ready in about an hour, okay girls?"

"Hai, domo arigatou gozaimasu for letting me stay over, Kamiya-san." Misao proclaimed.  She really did like being with Kaoru's family because they always made her feel so welcome.  Plus, she had two brothers and everything seemed so much more interesting when a person had siblings.  Misao herself was an only child, although she remembered how she would beg her parents for a sister.  Nevertheless, she had to admit that she and Kaoru were close enough to be blood related.  They had gone through so much together and she really did want her best friend to be happy.

"Okaa-san, do you need me to help you prepare the food?" Kaoru asked her mother.

Both Misao and Kamiya-san gaped at her incredulously.  Did she still believe that the third time the kitchen had gone up in flames was an accident?

Kaoru's mother hastily waved her daughter away, "No, no, dear, I'll be fine.  Arigatou, demo I think I can handle it by myself."

"Are you sure?" Kaoru persisted.  She was not entirely certain, but her mother had been rather abrupt.  It was almost as if she had not wanted her daughter to cook.  No, that couldn't be it…

Misao gave a nervous laugh.  One of the reasons why she wanted to have dinner over was because Kaoru's mother was an excellent chef.  Even if she did love her friend to death, she wasn't prepared to starve herself if it could be prevented.  "Kaoru-chan, why don't we go to your room and hang out while your mom finishes making dinner?"

Kaoru's mother gave Misao a furtive smile, grateful that her kitchen had been safe from her daughter's hands for another day.  Misao hurriedly hauled Kaoru up the stairs.

When the two of them walked into Kaoru's bedroom, Misao immediately leaped onto the comfy bed, "So what are we going to do with your wish?"

"…_we_?" Kaoru looked at her friend curiously.

"Yeah, well?" Misao repeated, shaking her head at Kaoru as if she couldn't believe that she had not known that they would have to make this wish a good one.

"Ano… Misao?  Is this my wish or yours?"

"Yours and mine both, of course!" Misao winked.

Kaoru gawked at Misao, hoping that her friend was merely teasing her.

"Never mind, Kaoru-chan.  Just show me the instructions so we'll at least know what to do with it." Misao declared.

"Eh, okay." Kaoru took out the sacred pouch that she had been keeping in her pocket and gingerly untied it.  A rolled up piece of paper had been stuffed in it, but Kaoru gently pried the paper out of the now opened bag to ensure that she did not to accidentally touch any substance that may have been inside.

Kaoru passed what appeared to be the directions to Misao.  Her eyes grew wide in anticipation.  As she examined the contents of the paper, a grin formed on her face.

"What's it say?" Kaoru demanded impatiently.

You are the last of the seven chosen to have your wish granted, so make sure it's a good one!  At the end of seven days, you will have completed the trial and will find whatever it is that you have been seeking.  So, the first step is to take out a pen and jot down your dream on a sheet of paper.  Then tear it into miniscule pieces and mix it with the fairy dust.  Sprinkle the mixture of dream and magic in the open air so that the wind will carry you to your heart's innermost desire.

"So, Kaoru-chan?  How about it?" Misao jumped up and down excitedly.  Kaoru observed the items her friend was holding in her hands.  Apparently Misao had acquired a pen and a sheet of paper for her already.

A smile graced Kaoru's lips as she nodded.  She knew just what to write.  After performing the rest of the procedure she had been instructed to do, Kaoru felt as if a huge burden had been lifted from her shoulders.  Even if this turned out to be nothing but a fraud, as was likely if Hiko was behind it, Kaoru was still satisfied with herself.  What did she have to lose?

Later that evening, Misao was pleased that she had a delicious meal and Kamiya-san, an unscathed kitchen.  Kaoru's brothers, Sano and Yahiko, were noisy, rambunctious, and busily bickered over the food.  Although Sano was the eldest at nineteen years of age, he could be just as immature as Yahiko, the youngest of the Kamiya family, but this was to be expected.  They could not discontinue their daily rituals and Kaoru would not want it otherwise.  There would not be a norm for them to hold onto without their father around.  Then again, Kaoru was a bit frightened for Yahiko.  He was ten years old now and he still gnawed on Sano's spiky head when he was angry.  Kaoru could never tell if he did so because of his growing appetite that he would be desperate enough to _consume_ hair gel or if he just did it out of habit.  Whatever the reason, Kaoru hoped that it was a tendency he would be able to control when he became older.

Kaoru fell into a soothing sleep, comforted by the fact that she might not have to endure the internal solitude she had felt ever since she was a child.  Her dreams revolved around the possibilities of what tomorrow would bring? 

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Author's Note:  I'm not ecstatic about the number of reviews, but oh well.  I will get over it!  So, I'm thanking those who read.  Those who read _and_ review, however, deserve special thank yous!

**Koiishi Sweet:**  Thank you! ^_~

**Ari and Kat:**  Thanks!

**wackoramaco87:**  ^_^  I've only seen a couple of episodes from the American version because I don't have cartoon network, but I will be wishing for your sake that you see more of Hiko!  He's so cool!  Kaoru is telling the story as she imagines it happening, so she's making it up as she goes along.  I hope I haven't confused you.

**TanukiGirl22: ***frowns* I don't mean to shrink my chapters!  I'm sorry, I will try to make them longer from now on.  There are really two stories going on, but so far I've only introduced one- the one being told by Kaoru.  I'll tell you when the next one is entered into the story.  I'm having writer's block and not much free time, but I'll update "For Honor" soon, I promise!

**Kitsune KeNsHiN:**  Thankies!  Yup, Hiko with wife… O.o  and we're going to find out why he keeps her a secret!  Yay!

**Naiya-chan:  **I know what you mean about guessing what will happen next in a story.  For example, I have to do it too and I _am_ writing this story.  So, thanks anyway and I hope to hear from you soon!

**nyllemnev:**  Yay!  I can't believe that you reviewed!  It means the world to me!  You are so awesome! *continues shouting praises from rooftops*  I hope you can write more for your story soon!  ^_~

**george dubbaya bush and holden caulfied:** Because I know you are the one and only person I _really_ forced to read, I'm thanking you for it!  I have no idea why you chose the strangest names ever though, lol. O.O


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